Panasonic LZ30 vs Pentax K-3

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic LZ30 versus Pentax K-3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a large gap among the sensor resolutions of the LZ30 (16MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the LZ30 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The LZ30 was manufactured 15 months earlier than the K-3 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a thorough comparison, below is a brief summary of how the LZ30 grades vs the K-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 & Pentax K-3. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic LZ30 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic LZ30 offers physical measurements of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 has specifications of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic LZ30 versus Pentax K-3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the LZ30 vs the K-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LZ30 and K-3 is 66 and 59 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to see the gap in sensor measurements simply by seeing technical specs. The visual underneath may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the LZ30 and K-3.

As you can tell, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The LZ30 due to its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax K-3 will provide extra detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots far more aggressively. The older LZ30 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.